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Do my conditions qualify me for disability?

Hi everyone, I've got a really strange set of circumstances here. I want to know if it would be worth my time to file for disability. The main condition I have is severe allergic reactions and hives. I have all over itching daily. Also swelling of the tongue so severe that at the minimum you can see the indentations from my teeth on it along with terrible pain and difficulty talking. At it's worst I have difficulty breathing. I also get throat itching and swelling and hives. I can be fine one moment and the next I've got hives and severe itching and I haven't done anything but breath. Often my ears itch so bad that they hurt and turn bright red and hot to the touch. My sinuses swell to the point where it hurts to even wear my glasses. For those of you who think I'm just being a whiny baby you try dealing with an all over body itch that won't go away no matter what you do. It can at times make me feel like I'm going insane. In addition to the itching, hives, and swollen tongue and throat I get very dizzy and drop to the ground a few times a week. On those days turning my head can make things go dark for a few seconds and I don't walk I teeter from side to side. On these days leaving the house isn't something I can do safely (at least that's how I feel). The doctors have run numerous test with no answers resulting. I have previously had the skin allergy test where they do all the pokes and I was pretty much allergic to everything. But it was controlled with medication 1 Zyrtec per day. Around that time I was also diagnosed with mild asthma so I was also prescribed Singulair. I have always been allergic to tree nuts but now I am allergic to things that didn't bother me before such as peanuts, citrus, carrots, watermelon, bananas, cucumbers and sometimes grapes. I add to this list daily as I never know if what I eat is going to cause a reaction. I have been prescribed oral steroids and given a steroid injection neither of which had any effect. I am currently taking 2 Zantac 2x per day, 2 Zyrtec per day 1 in the a.m. and 1 in the afternoon, 2-3 Hydroxyzine at bedtime. I also take benedryl when needed, at times needing to take 3 at once. At times, to my dismay, this doesn't even stop the itching. As you can guess I'm pretty out of it when I have to take 2 Benedryl and when I take 3 it's time to sleep. In addition to the afore mentioned problems I also have IBS for which I am prescribed Bentyl, yet another sleep inducing med. I also have chronic pain in my right hand and wrist due to two tramatic injuries within an 8 month period for which I am prescribed Vicodin to take care of the pain because over the counter Tylenol doesn't help and because of my stomach problems I can't take NSAIDS. After typing all of this I'm sure I will need to take a Vicodin to take care of the pain that I can feel coming on. I also have a daughter with uncontrolled type 1 Diabetes who needs close attention and care especially if she is sick with any kind of cold or flu bug so we can hopefully keep her out of the hospital. Because of all of this it is hard to keep a job and I was even just dropped from my Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration classes because of absences due to the kid being ill and my inability to make it in because of the allergies and side effects of the allergy meds. Please tell me if you think it would be worth my time to apply for diability. Thank you. It's been 4 hours and I can feel the itching coming back so I'm off to take more Benedryl. Sigh... I should add that I have been dealing withthis for over a year and I lost a job due to absences because of my allergies and the amount of medication, benedryl, I had to take made me useless if I took them at work. At times all I could do was stare blankly at the computer screen. I even fell asleep while talking to clients on the phone a couple of times. Or asked them random questions that had nothing to due with the info I needed. And no I don't do a lot of house work these days because I just don't have the energy, or I'm sleeping, or I'm just trying to make the room stop spinning. I do have a dx. But it's very general.

Public Comments

Talk to your doctor about it.
You should get an official diagnosis before you can even be considered for disability. You're putting the cart before the horse.
If it did then anyone with any kind of illness would be disabled.
Without an actual disease, I doubt it. You should talk to a lawyer and see what they think.
fodaddy is right cart before the horse. and the likely hood would be a long fight to get onto SSDI. I'm just putting the idea out there but have you looked into a raw diet for your daughter? it is said to be able to help diabetics a lot.
Diabetes is a disease that is afflicting more and more individuals on a daily basis. While scientists tell us the disease only affects a small amount of the population it seems like almost everyone knows at least one person who is afflicted by the condition. In recent years medical professionals have noticed there is more to coming down with Diabetes than simply being born with the gene that makes it happen. The fact is, medical professionals are beginning to realize that diabetes can even be interrupted if you are careful. Here are some of the primary causes of diabetes and what you can do about them. Even though type 1 is not considered hereditary, if someone in your family has it, you may have a genetic predisposition for the condition. So just because your father has it, it is not a guarantee that you will. That's not to say it doesn't happen because it does just not very often. Discuss any family history of Type 1 diabetes with your doctor so they can suggest ways for you to avoid it. Staying as healthy as possible is always a good idea, especially since you can't fight genetics. Did you know that extreme stress levels can contribute to whether or not a person gets Diabetes? Scary but true. Scientists have recently discovered that people who are stressed regularly are far more likely to contract this disease. What steps can you take to combat this cause? Make it a point to spend time relaxing during the day. Your doctor may also have some ways to help you cope with your stress. How you alleviate stress will depend in part on its cause but there are various methods that can help. Lowering your stress level will also lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. Fat people are the most likely candidates to develop diabetes. If you want to avoid diabetes and get your weight under control there are many new developments that can assist you. Working hard to get our weight under control can be done in many ways. Many succeed with only modifying their diet and excercise. Some may consider surgical intervention for weight loss that is not easily controlled. Talk to your doctor about the best way to get your weight under control if you want to avoid diabetes. Diabetes is becoming more and more prevalent. Although scientists say that a small percentage of the population is affected by diabetes, it seems every one knows at least one person living with this condition. If you feel you might be at risk for diabetes the best thing to do is talk to your doctor. They should be able to help you assess the causes currently affecting you and how to deal with them. It is never a bad idea to minimize your risk of developing diabetes as much as possible even if it can't always be avoided.
From what you describe - yes. It would be reviewed most definitely after a year, but what you describe is disabling allergies. You cannot be expected to function when you need to take those medications daily. The factors in your daughters illness are irrelevant. You will get it on the basis of what you face alone. You will continue to need to pursue a clearer medical diagnosis.
It probably depends on where you live. I know that in Oregon or California, you would certainly qualify, for at least temporary disability. It is much easier to apply for and receive temporary than permanent. Talk to your MD about it, and get the paperwork started at your Human Services Office. Also, Dr's are much more likely to agree with 'temporary', than for a permanent status. (Your daughter's needs won't make any difference in your own status, however, she may qualify for benefits for her own condition, depending on your state.) Here is a guideline to get you started: http://www.ehow.com/how_5671615_file-temporary-disability-benefits.html
This is a bit unusual, but a possibility.. BUT you focused on your diagnosis and meds, not your function You can learn to use your left hand more..and there are jobs that don't put much stress on the hand...you can type lft handed only--or use voice recognition software dropping to the ground a few times a week isn't severe you need to focus on what you can't do how long can you sustain activity most days how often do you have difficultybreathing? i had hives all over once, but they didn't interfere with my job.. do you have difficulty preparing meals, doing laundry/dishes/cleaning..do you need help or it doesn't get done? how long could use sit ata desk and actually work--such as bank teller your daughters condition would not make you eligible temporary disability isonly for people recently workin SSDI/SSI goes by federal regs if youdon't have work credits--you are only eligible forSSI if your family is low income. i would think you would eventually getapproved--but it could take afew years....you would need excellent specifc documentation to start with.. i assume you do have an official Diagnosis
Have you seen a environmental allergist? Yes they are expensive, with all the testing etc they do, but they are really helpful to try and identify what is causing your problems and how you might get on top of your allergies. The other thing is keeping a food diary, where you write what you eat through out the day, including snacks & beverages, and then any signs or symptoms you might experience, e.g breathing difficulties, hives/rashes, migraines etc, doing this can also help find foods that cause your symptoms or aggravate your IBS. If the allergist deems you have severe allergies that impair your ability to work, and function in a fairly normal fashion, you might be able to claim a disability payment, as long as the specialist fills in the form stating the severity of your allergies and how it impairs your ability to work, and if you need to carry a Epi-pen around with you at all times. Why not talk to some from Social Security disability department and ask them what you need to do to apply, and if someone with severe allergies that impair their ability to work etc, is eligible for disability. Having multiple allergies myself I can relate to some degree, my environmental allergist believes the allergies may have been a triggering factor to my having CFS & Fibromyalgia, my allergies most certainly exacerbate the IBS.